High-power ytterbium doped calcium fluoride mode-locked laser and methods of use

Abstract

A high-power ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser system is disclosed herein which includes at least one pump source, at least one laser cavity formed by at least one high reflector and at least one output coupler, and at least one ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride optical crystal positioned within the laser cavity in communication with the pump source, the ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride optical crystal configured to output at least one output signal of at least 20 W, having a pulse width of 200 fs or less, and a repetition rate of at least 40 MHz.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A high-power ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser system, comprising:
 at least one pump source; 
 at least one laser cavity formed by at least one reflector and at least one output coupler; 
 at least one ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride optical crystal positioned within the at least one laser cavity, the at least one ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride optical crystal in communication with and pumped by the at least one pump source and configured to output at least one output signal having an output power of 20W or more and a pulse width of 200 fs or less. 
 
     
     
       2. The high-power ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one pump source is configured to output at least one pump signal, comprising a continuous wave pump signal. 
     
     
       3. The high-power ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one output signal comprises a continuous wave mode-locked signal. 
     
     
       4. The high-power ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one pump source comprises multiple laser diode emitters located within a single diode package coupled to a single fiber optic device, each emitter configured to output an optical signal into the single fiber optic device, the single fiber optic device configured to receive the optical signals from the multiple laser diode emitters and output a single pump signal. 
     
     
       5. The high-power ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one at least one crystal mount positioned within the at least one laser cavity, the at least one crystal mount configured to support and position the at least one ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride optical crystal at a desired position within the at least one laser cavity. 
     
     
       6. The high-power ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser system of  claim 5  wherein the at least one crystal mount includes at least one thermal control feature configured to enhance convection cooling of the at least one ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride optical crystal positioned on the at least one crystal mount. 
     
     
       7. The high-power ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser system of  claim 6  further comprising at least one thermal control system configured to aid in cooling the at least one ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride optical crystal. 
     
     
       8. The high-power ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser system of  claim 7  wherein the at least one thermal control system comprises an air-cooling system. 
     
     
       9. The high-power ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride optical crystal comprises a <111>cut crystal. 
     
     
       10. The high-power ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one output signal has a continuous mode-locking range spanning at least fifty percent (50%) of an upper region of a dynamic range of the output power. 
     
     
       11. A high-power bulk laser system, comprising:
 at least one pump source; 
 at least one laser cavity formed from at least one reflector and at least one output coupler; 
 at least one bulk optical crystal positioned within the at least one laser cavity and in communication with the at least one pump source, the at least one bulk optical crystal configured to output at least one output signal of 20 W or more and 200 fs or less, the at least one output signal configured to be outputted from the at least one output coupler. 
 
     
     
       12. The high-power bulk laser system of  claim 11  wherein the at least one pump source is configured to output at least one pump signal, comprising a continuous wave pump signal. 
     
     
       13. The high-power bulk laser system of  claim 11  wherein the at least one output signal comprises a continuous wave mode-locked signal. 
     
     
       14. The high-power bulk laser system of the  claim 11  wherein the at least one pump source comprises at least one fiber optic device coupled in optical communication with a single diode-based pump source. 
     
     
       15. The high-power bulk laser system of  claim 11  wherein the at least one high-power bulk laser system comprises an air-cooled laser system. 
     
     
       16. The high-power bulk laser system of  claim 11  wherein the at least one pump source comprises multiple laser diode emitters located within a single diode package coupled to a single fiber optic device, each emitter configured to output at least one optical signal into the single fiber optic device, the single fiber optic device configured to receive the at least one optical signal from the multiple laser diode emitters and output a single pump signal. 
     
     
       17. The high-power bulk laser system of  claim 11  further comprising at least one thermal control system configured to aid in cooling the at least one bulk optical crystal. 
     
     
       18. The high-power bulk laser system of  claim 11  wherein the at least one output signal has a continuous mode-locking range spanning at least fifty percent (50%) of an upper region of a dynamic range of the output power. 
     
     
       19. A high-power ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser system for use in multi-photon microscopy systems, comprising:
 at least one pump source configured to output at least one pump signal; 
 at least one laser cavity formed by at least one reflector and at least one output coupler; 
 at least one ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride optical crystal positioned within the at least one optical parametric oscillator, the at least one ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride optical crystal in communication with and pumped by the at least one pump signal and configured to output at least one output signal having a output power of 20W or more and pulse width of 200 fs of less; 
 at least one harmonic generation system in optical communication with the at least one ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser, the at least one harmonic generation system configured to receive the optical parametric oscillator output signal and output at least one harmonic output signal; 
 at least one optical parametric oscillator formed by at least one high reflector and at least one output coupler and in optical communication with the at least one ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser; and 
 at least one multi-photon microscopy system in optical communication with at least one of the optical parametric oscillator. 
 
     
     
       20. The high-power laser system of  claim 19  wherein the at least one pump source comprises multiple laser diode emitters located within a single diode package coupled to a single fiber optic device, each emitter configured to output at least one optical signal into the single fiber optic device, the single fiber optic device configured to receive the at least one optical signal from the multiple laser diode emitters and output a single pump signal. 
     
     
       21. The high-power laser system of  claim 19  wherein the at least one harmonic output signal comprises a second harmonic of the at least one ytterbium doped calcium fluoride laser system output signal. 
     
     
       22. The high-power ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride laser system of  claim 19  wherein the at least one harmonic output signal comprises a third harmonic of the at least one ytterbium doped calcium fluoride laser system output signal.